Austin Kirby, pictured from the back. (Photo courtesy Kirby family)
A 43-year-old man who said his request to be baptised was turned down by a local Seventh-day Adventist Church last Saturday because he has dreadlocks, said he’s offended and feels more “hurt” and “disappointed” than he has ever been all his life.
The incident occurred last Saturday in the midst of an ongoing crusade, and a number of people from the Seventh-day Adventist community complained to OBSERVER media that it is wrong.
When OBSERVER media spoke to the man, Austin Kirby, he said although he’s disappointed, he is not ashamed.
“The Bible says ‘Come as you are.’ It didn’t say to go buy a suit, dress up, cut your hair or put on weave. It says come as you are. ‘Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires the water of life without price.’ I got a calling that I should be baptised, and I went,” Kirby said.
The father of four said he went to the combined Seventh-day Adventist churches’ crusade in Jennings last Wednesday night, and while listening to the “Word” from the pastor, he felt encouraged to go up to the altar when the call was made for persons who wished to “surrender (their) lives to God.”
“They were calling persons to be baptised and I went up. The brother from the church gave me a paper to fill out and because I cannot read, I told him I would let my wife do it for me. I spelled my name for him and he wrote it down. When we were finished praying, they told me I would be baptised on Saturday,” Kirby said.
The man said his wife, who is a Christian was so happy and shocked by his decision that she began crying. He said he too was so excited he called his two oldest children and told them he was changing his life and would baptised on the weekend.
In the interview yesterday afternoon, Kirby admitted that he has done and said things he knew were wrong, but has made an effort to reform. For example, he said he stopped smoking on Christmas Day last year.
“Every now and then, when I was in conversation, I would use a bad word, and since January, I said I would stop. I’m not going to lie; I didn’t stop right away. And, plenty people never believed I could stop smoking because I was doing it since age nine, but Christmas Eve day I said I would stop. So since Christmas Day I have not done that,” the security guard said.
Kirby, who is also a farmer and a mason, said he started his preparation for baptism since Friday, and was so elated, he wanted to get to the baptism site at Valley Church Beach, early, and hopefully be the first to be baptised on Saturday afternoon.
“I didn’t sleep Friday night because I was so excited. Saturday, after church when they finished praying, I went outside and a guy came up to me and asked my name and I told him Austin Kirby. Then he said we have a problem and it shocked me because I was wondering what because I was going to get baptized,” Kirby stated.
The man said he was then told that the pastor could not baptise him because his hair is deadlocked. Feeling hurt and dejected, the man said he began crying and went back to his vehicle. He then returned and asked to speak with the pastor.
“The pastor told me I cannot be baptised unless I cut off my hair. He said I am from a cult and another religion and my hair is a problem. I told him I believe in the same God as he and that I could be an example to others out there who are part of the cult he might be referring to … but he told me he cannot do anything for me,” Kirby said.
“I am only hurt because I got a calling. I was touched and then someone turned me down. When I get that message from God to cut my hair, I would. But that’s not what my calling is about. I still believe in God and I still want to be baptised,” he said.
“My very good friend who has been a Christian for all his life is hurt, too. I’ve never seen him so upset and disappointed. I am focused on changing my life,” he stated.
He reported that his wife has been reading the Bible for him for several years and one day he would like to learn to read it on his own and share its messages with the world. He said he will continue going to church and giving God praise.